Diabetes: An independent risk factor for AF

Diabetes: An independent risk factor for AF. Atrial fibrillation was more likely to develop in diabetics than in nondiabetics in a new observational study, and the link was particularly strong in women. This association between diabetes and AF has been reported before, but this is the first time that diabetes has been shown to be an independent risk factor for AF. The findings have potential public-health implications, especially in women, and emphasize the need for further investigation of the mechanistic links between diabetes and AF. See This Week’s Item #14.